JAKARTA: A 19-year-old Indonesian gymnast and Olympic hopeful died in Russia nearly two weeks after suffering an accident during training, the local federation said.
Naufal Takdir Al Bari (pic) had been training in the western city of Penza since early September to prepare for the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Jakarta next month.
Naufal suffered a serious neck injury after falling awkwardly into a foam-filled pit while performing a bar exercise, Oleg Minkarsky, director of the sports hall in Penza, told Russian news agency TASS.
The gymnast spent 12 days in intensive care but died this week.
"Indonesian gymnastics has lost one of its finest sons. This is a deep blow and sorrow for us," Ita Yuliati, chairperson of Indonesia's gymnastics federation, said in a statement Friday.
"We are currently communicating with his family... and the Russian embassy in Indonesia so that the repatriation of the late Naufal's remains to the homeland can be carried out soon."
Naufal had been in contention to compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. - AFP
